It’s widely known that prolonged, unprotected exposure to the sun can cause sunburn. Sunburn usually appears within a few hours after overexposure to ultraviolet light from sunshine or artificial sunlamps.
A sunburn is the skin’s response to UV damage. Sunburn may be minor and evident by redness and pain or, if severe, swelling and blisters may occur. Some people even feel like they have the flu and become feverish with chills.
Even though sunburn is a common occurrence in spring, summer and fall, people may be surprised to learn it is possible to get sunburn in the winter, too. It’s foolish to stop thinking about sun protection when bundled up in winter clothing. Complete Family Dermatology says the sun’s ultraviolet rays can be just as damaging to the skin when it’s cloudy or cold. In addition, snow and ice can reflect up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, that means that a person gets hit from two angles: first from the sky and second from the ground, as the rays rebound.
It is important to practice sun safety all year long. Wear sunscreen on the face and any portion of the skin that is exposed. Also, donning sunglasses protects not only the eyes, but also the delicate skin around the eyes. UV radiation is the leading contributor to skin cancer.
Even though the amount of UV rays decreases slightly in the winter because of the angle that they hit the Earth, the risk for UV-related sun damage persists. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30, and even higher when spending time in high altitudes.
Sunburn can occur at any time of the year. Precautions should be taken to protect the skin whether it’s spring, fall, summer, or winter.
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